Activists form coalition for immigration policy change

Organizers decry lack of federal action

Frustrated with Congress' lack of action, several immigration advocates are banding together to form the Palm Beach County Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

The group, made up of immigration and labor attorneys and community activists, is having its first organizing meeting Sunday.

"One of our missions is going to be education," said immigration attorney Aileen Josephs, one of at least five advocates helping to organize the group. "We find it regretful that we're still at that stage, but we have to combat the Lou Dobbs and those forces who are not giving factual information."

Josephs also wants the group to tackle "wage theft" and form a legislative committee to push measures to protect workers. The group invited local immigrant and cultural organizations and state Rep. Susan Bucher, D-West Palm Beach, to brainstorm.

"It's not something for any politician to back away from," Bucher said. "I have a responsibility to listen to the community."

Josephs said that through heavy voter registration efforts more immigrants can get their elected officials to listen.

"2008 is the elections where Latinos are going to vote," she said. "Latinos are a bigger number in our county. Like it or not, we are here."

Jose Cerrato, president of the Honduran Organization of Palm Beach County, will be attending the organizing meeting.

"We are part of the bloodstream of this nation because we have children who are American citizens, just like the immigrants before us," Cerrato said. "But we seem to suffer from social amnesia."

Earlier this month, the Bush administration announced measures to beef up attempts to round up undocumented immigrants. The announcement came after Congress' failure to revise proposals for a guest-worker program and address weaknesses in current immigration law.

While opponents of the proposed bill said it would have granted "amnesty" to people who entered the country illegally, some supporters said it would have created too many roadblocks for immigrants looking to become permanent residents.

Both sides expressed frustration with the lack of action.

"It's clear that there is a need," said Germonique Jones, communications director at the Washington-based Center for Community Change. "There's a need to educate the community about what's happening at the federal level, which is nothing."

Maria Herrera can be reached at meherrera@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6544.